Living Wage Victory Highlighted in New York Law Journal Article

Today's New York Law Journal's "Back Page" column features an article on Paul, Weiss and the Brennan Center of Justice's victory last week in a sweeping decision from the New Mexico Court of Appeals in defense of Santa Fe's Living Wage Ordinance, a decision that is expected to have a significant impact in living wage campaigns across the nation. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's June 2004 ruling upholding the validity of the ordinance. In an effort to rectify the grossly inadequate U.S. and New Mexico minimum hourly wage of $5.15, the ordinance will raise the minimum wage for employees of businesses in Santa Fe with 25 or more employees to $8.50 immediately, and it will further increase to $9.50 on January 1, 2006, and $10.50 on January 1, 2008, thereafter increasing by the consumer price index. Of counsel Sidney Rosdeitcher, who was lead counsel in defending Santa Fe at trial against challenges by local business groups and who argued the appeal for the Brennan Center, told the publication, "We think we have a landmark decision...This is a reaction to federal inaction. Low-wage workers desperately need help." Sidney also noted that "this is the civil rights movement of the 21st century." The Paul, Weiss team included Sidney Rosdeitcher; associates Carmen Cheung, Evan Norris and Solomon Klein; and former associates Matthew Gaul, Matthew Kalmanson, Yoav Sapir, Lauren McMillen, Patricia Ronan and Geoffrey Upton.